Monthly Archives: July 2011

Then head on over to Truworths’Love Fashion blog, where I followed up my Idols post for them with a round up of things I am inspired by at the moment. Yes, I do love those platform creepers. And, yes, that vampire fringe too.

But can you blame me? Charlotte Lintonis a print designer and fashion writer based in London and I love her scarves.

Charlotte’s story is so enchanting. Her muse is a fictional character called Ermantrude, whose adventures around the globe she illustrates. The Himalayas, Madagascar, Japan: Ermantrude explores, and Charlotte’s scarves follow. In this way, she creates a narrative for each scarf and the journey taken to produce the story behind its specfic print.

Charlotte has produced prints for the likes of Paul Smith, Hussein Chayalan and Oasis. She studied Fashion Prints and Printed Textiles at Central Saint Martins and The Royal College of Art. It is no wonder that each scarf is a work of art with a thought-provoking title to boot. I love the unusual ways that they are styled in her lookbooks, and the fact that they are extra large and luxe.

I am delighted to give you a first look at the great shoot thatAlix-Rose Cowie(photographer) and Kate Desmarais (stylist) did this weekend featuring some of my Rah-Rah Room gems. As always, just in time for my sale, Kate and Alix pulled something so Rah-Rah out of the bag: charming, quirky, meaningful and enchanting.

Shot on location at the oh-so-cool girl’s res, Spes Bona, the story was subtly informed by the characters and guises in the classic game, Cluedo. Spes Bona was perfect. Model Lala Quail, with her minx-like bangs and arresting gaze was the perfect subject. As Reverend Green in the Dining Room, Mrs Peacock in the Reception Hall and Mrs White in the Conservatory, she rocked it.

Thank you to Michael Tymbios for the perfect cover page, and to Spes Bona for having us. Thank you, as always, to Kate and Alix for having great vision and for making things fun and having great taste.

Join Teresa Dalton of the The Spice Studio and I at Blonde this Saturday from 1 until 6pm – the gems in this shoot will be on sale!

I think the piece of fluoro-spiked, skull-bedazzled, pop culture delight above deserves a ‘Hell yeah!’ At the very least, a meaningful gasp. Which is exactly what I did when I saw it for the first time.

These glorious chunky mashups are the product of Fenton, an American jewellery house started by designer Dana Lorenz in 2006. With two painting behind her, Dana entered the fashion industry, first working for Gucci and then Donna Karan. Her pieces were soon featured in American Vogue, and shortly after that, Fenton began to be stocked at major high end retailers like Barneys, Colette and Liberty.

The Fenton website describes the collection as:

‘An elaborate mix of unexpected elements. The aesthetic inspires fantasy, and is always derived from a strong pop culture reference and point of view. The pieces are strong statements and each are little worlds all their own.’

I couldn’t have put it better myself. I am always a sucker for the mixing of pop culture with the classic. The idea of juxtaposing something quite lowbrow like a bubblegummy skull with something typically highbrow like a strand of pearls and some über yuppie gold chain is almos utopian to me. I delight in the weird mishmash of cultural references – Sloane rangers, punk girls and Tiffany’s princesses, all in one. Yeah!

It’s no wonder Dana has collaborated with the likes of Proenza Schouler and Thakoon on their runway collections, and worked with retailers like Opening Ceremony and J.Crew on capsule collections.

I adore every piece in her Summer 2011 collection. Skulls, gilded feathers, intermingled chains, fluoro spikes and tufts of lush fur make for a totemic mix that I find quite hypnotic. Which is, perhaps, the point. Each piece is like its own pagan pop culture charm.

I am excited to announce an unexpected change of plans for this Saturday’s return of The Rah-Rah Room!

A while ago I blogged about Teresa Dalton’s hidden Knysna gem, The Spice Studio. Teresa and I have a shared love of bright lipstick, strong G&Ts and vintage, so it is with much happiness that we are joining forces this Saturday. Join Teresa and I at Blonde restaurant on Wandel Street (take a left before the 24 Hour Engen if you’re headed in the direction of De Waal Drive) from 1 to 6pm on Saturday. Check out the Facebook event for full details and pics.

The Rah-Rah Room will be there with all new vintage gems and a sale rail for your browsing pleasure. Round up them post payday pennies, or drag your man along with you for a spot of Saturday browsing.

I ventured to the City Bowl Market this weekend along with all the other vintage and treat hunters. The fashion section was set up upstairs (conveniently located alongside the bar) and featured a mix of vintage, jools and some new stuff, too. My sole vexation was that they had Jack Johnson on repeat, which distracted me whilst rifling through the leather clutches and nerdy jerseys.

[On that note, I must say that I think people are getting a little confused in the throes of the dorky reindeer jumper fad. There are still standards to be upheld, and it is certainly not a case of the uglier the better. That attitude towards vintage really irritates me. I am not quite ironic enough to don a Bill Cosby jumper and call it style. Be that as it may, there was a broad range of said jerseys on display at the market, so if that’s your bag, then get in line.]

My first Vamp purchase – a vintage navy chiffon pussybow blouse with dainty white polka dots. It looks black in the picture, but it really is navy. I think it’s going to be the perfect addition to my work wardrobe.

I was recently asked to guest post on Truworths‘ cool new Love Fashion blog as part of theirIdols 7 series. Truworths is dressing this year’s Idols, and I was given the honour of musing on the Top 15’s fashion choices on last night’s show.

The best thing about guest posting for Love Fashion is the fact that I got to indulge my secret and seldom-revealed love of Idols. From the cringeworthy first auditions, to Gareth Cliff’s pastel cockatoo-coif, to the ever-present threat of total disaster, Idols really appeals to the sensationalist in me.

Last night I spent an hour watching the Top 15 do their thing and analysing the various trends they embraced. My favourite by far was Nolly, but then I’m always a sucker for a little rock ‘n roll edge. Check out my Idols eye-spy in full here.

Follow Love Fashion for the rest of the Idols 7 series, as well as cool local streetstyle and other fashiony gems.